Some Of You Who Do Not Believe

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him.
And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”
From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.
Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”
But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
[John 6:63-68 NKJV]

We see here that although we think of his disciples as ‘the twelve’, the reality was that there were many more, and that the many more were beginning to have doubts. Verse 66 ‘From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.’

Why was this? It would seem that Jesus words — as shown in verses 55 and 56 (‘For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.’) — were found to be offensive, or misunderstood by many.

Jesus knew that this was likely; He must have done, so why did He not change His words to explain more clearly to the literal mind of those He was trying to reach? The answer is a simple one. Jesus was not trying to woo people to His cause; He was not trying to build a following or create a presence. He was. He is. There is a free will choice, and many choose their own way, no matter how compelling the truth is.

Jesus spoke then and speaks now to those who will hear, and we know, do we not, that many will not hear — often through the literal and intransigent mind. Stubbornness. Our Lord does not argue or debate; He merely speaks truth. He does not complain if we reject His word, nor does He try to explain. So there will be some of you who do not believe.

Saturday 3rd April 2021

Shut out every other consideration and keep yourself before God for this one thing only—“My Utmost for His Highest.” I am determined to be absolutely and entirely for Him and for Him alone.

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